Water-polo apparatus.



J. P. GONKLING.

PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

WATER POLO APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED NH4, 1905.-

A Tron/vifs E' JWM.

10.814,674. PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

' J. F. CONKLING.

WATER PoLo APPARATUS..y

APPLI-(LATION FILED'MAYl. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

TTORN thereof is to provide means JOHN F. CONKLING, OF HAWLEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

WATER-POLO APPARATUS.

Specification of `Letters Patent.

Patented Marcil 13, 1906.

Application filed May 4,1905. Serial No. 258.769.

To all wwwt it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. CoNxLiNG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hawley, in the county of Wayne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water-Polo Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to what is known as the game of water-polo, and the object whereby an improved game of this class, which I call canoepolo. may be played on a lake, either artificial or natural, or on a river where the current is not too strong or on any suitable body of water; and the particular invention to which this application relates consists of a frame for marking off or forming on said body of water a field within which the game is played.

The invention which forms the subject of this application is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which*- Figure l is a plan view of my improved frame for marking off or forming on a body of water a field in which to play the game of water or canoe polo Fig. 2, a side view thereof and showing the frame placed in or on the water; Fig. 3, a view, on an enlarged scale, of a part of the frame; Fig. 4, a side view thereof; Fig. 5, a plan view, on an enlarged scale, of a part of my improved device which is intended as a means for dropping a ball in the center of the field; and Fig. 6, a side view thereof.

In the practice of my invention I provide a frame of the class and for the purpose specified which comprises parallel side portions a and parallel end portions a2, which form a field b, which is preferably about one hundred and sixty feet long and eighty feet wide, and the said sides and ends of said frame are formed by means of boards c, which are preferably about sixteen feet long and one foot Wide and from two to four inches thick; but the dimensions of the boards c may be changed as desired or as may be found in practice to be preferable. The boards c in each side and end portion of the frame are placed side by side and are preferably locked together. by transverse staples or similar devices d, which are passed through keepers e, as shown in Fig. 3, and the separate boards of each row are'also connected at their ends by similar or any suitable fastening devices, as shown at f in Figs. 3 and 4. Centrally of each end of the frame are goals g, consisting in the form of construction shown of inwardly-directed parallel members h, on which are placed raised screens or other suitable devices t, which prevent the ball from entering the goals g except through the inwardly-directed openings j, and said screens are connected with detachable pins 7c. I also provide means for dropping the ball centrally of the field b, which consists of upright members m, placed centrally of the opposite sides of the frame and provided at the tops thereof with parallel wires or cords n, connected centrally of the eld with a ring o, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and when the upright members m are in position the wires or cords n extend clear across the field, and a ball dropped near either side of the frame on the wires or cords n, as indicated in dotted lines at p in Figs. 5 and 6, will roll down along the wires or cords and pass through the ring 0 and drop in the center of the field, as will be readily understood.

In practice the game is played by means of boats or canoes, each man being provided with a boat or canoe, and the paddle by which the canoe is manipulated also constitutes the mallet for playing the game or manipulating the ball. In practice the men in their canoes are stationed as in the ordinary game of polo, and the object of each player, as in other games of this classis to get the ball into the goals g.

My improvement is not limited to the game of water or canoe polo, as a frame of the class described herein may be used in playing the game of basket-ball on water or for playing other land similar games.

The side and end portions of the frame may be detachably connected at a3 in any desired manner or by means of connecting devices similar to those shown at d and f, and when made in this manner all the parts of the frame may be disconnected and closely packed for shipment or similar purpose and when so packed will occupy but small space.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A frame for use in playing games on water, said frame being composed of parallel IOC IIO

side and parallel end members consisting of separate parts detachably connected and provided at their opposite ends With goals Which open toward the center of the frame, said frame being also provided centrally with a transverse raised device for dropping a ball in the middle of the frame, substantially as shown and described.

2. A frame for use in playing games on Water, said frame being composed of parallel side and parallel end members consisting of separate parts detachably connected and provided at their opposite ends with goals Which open toward the center of the frame, said frame being also provided centrally With a transverse raised device for dropping a ball in the middle of the frame, consisting of up'- right side members and Wires or cords connected with the tops thereof and extending transversely of the frame and connected at the center of the frame With a ring, substantially as shown and described.

3. A frame of the class described designed for use in marking off a field on Water Within which to play a game7 said frame being composed of separate detachably-connected parts, and being oblong in form and provided at each end with goals which open inwardly, said frame being also provided transversely of the middle thereof with means for dropping a ball centrally thereof, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing Witnesses, this 2d day of May, 1905.

JOHN F. CONKLING.

Witnesses:

DANIEL BINGHAM, ALFRED K. KILLAM. 

